This application incorporates by reference U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,500 and presently pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/447,896, filed on May 29, 2003, as background for the present application.
The present invention relates generally to grooved foam backed panels for building structures. Examples of panels that may benefit from the present invention include siding panels, wall panels, and other similar, suitable, or conventional types of panels. In the event that a liquid, such as condensation or rainwater, was to accumulate or get behind a foamed backed panel of the present invention; the liquid should be allowed to drain away. The present invention provides a drainage pathway for a liquid on a surface of a backing portion of a paneling unit.
In order to enhance the thermal insulation of building structures, it is known to provide one or more layers or panels of insulating material between the vinyl facing panel and the building structure. The backing may also improve the structural characteristics of the siding panel. Known insulated siding systems exist in many different forms. For instance, it is known to nail large sheets of insulating material to the building structure and then install the siding over the insulating material. Another system places a panel of insulation material in a slot behind the vinyl facing panel. Yet another system pours foam filler into the back of a vinyl facing panel such that the foam filler conforms to the geometry of the vinyl facing panel.
The present invention provides a drainage pathway, comprised of grooves, for a liquid on a surface of a backing portion of a paneling unit. Typical installations of the present invention include paneling units generally installed vertically so that a generally downwardly oriented plurality of drainage grooves allows a liquid to drain. Preferred embodiments of the present invention also comprise connector grooves that intersect at least two of the plurality of drainage grooves. As a result, alternative drainage pathways are provided in the system of preferably hydraulically connected drainage grooves and connector grooves.
In addition, the present invention may provide for an orientation of the grooves on the surface of a backing portion of a paneling unit of the present invention so that adjacent, substantially similar paneling units installed with the paneling unit may have at least a portion of the plurality of drainage grooves to be part of a segment of a continuous drainage groove. In this manner, a liquid may drain from the surfaces of the backing portions of the installed paneling units through an interconnected system of continuous drainage grooves. Additionally, the present invention may provide for at least one connector groove on a surface of a backing portion of a paneling unit to form at least a segment of a continuous connector groove with adjacent, substantially similar installed paneling units. As discussed above, the continuous grooves between adjacent panels may facilitate the drainage of liquid from the surfaces of the backing portions of the installed paneling units.
The present invention is an improvement over each of the aforementioned systems. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a siding unit, which is comprised of backing and a facing panel. The advantages of the backed siding may include improved energy efficiency, reduced air infiltration, reduced curvature in the siding panels, and increased ease of installation. One embodiment of the backed siding of the present invention has improved interlocking pieces and an improved backing. Chemicals may be added to the backing that aid in the reduction or repelling of insects such as carpenter ants and termites.
In addition to the novel features and advantages mentioned above, other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following descriptions of the drawings and exemplary embodiments.